22nd Doernbecher Freestyle auction raises over $2.4 million, a record
Six young patient-designers on Friday revealed their personally designed Nike footwear for the 22nd Doernbecher Freestyle collection, a longstanding program and partnership between Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Nike.
This year’s auction, held at the Portland Art Museum, raised over $2.4 million — the highest in the program’s history. The funds will help cover the cost of care for families in need; expand leading-edge research that benefits kids around the world; and support specialized care unavailable anywhere else in the region.
Learn more about the Doernbecher Freestyle program from the OHSU Foundation.
Proceeds included nearly $1.6 million raised by donors, most of which will go toward the planned construction of a new addition to the hospital. This addition will bring together the Mother-Baby Unit, Fetal Surgery Program and a new NICU, creating a continuum of care that begins before birth and supports families through a baby's earliest and most critical moments.
This year’s auction combined with the profits from last year’s Freestyle 21 retail sales have raised a total of $4.7 million for the children’s hospital.
“Every year, the Freestyle program reminds us of the incredible power of community, and we are exceedingly grateful for the supporters who generously contributed to help make it a success,” said OHSU President Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. “Ensuring Doernbecher continues to provide the best possible pediatric care for generations, including expanding neonatal intensive care for our smallest, most fragile patients, is imperative to that vision."
The event also highlighted an important milestone: Doernbecher’s 100th anniversary, which marks a century of innovative, compassionate and family-centered care.
Over the past 100 years, Doernbecher has transformed children’s health and well-being, pushing pediatric medicine forward and leading tidal shifts in children’s healthcare. This has been made possible by the expertise and passion from clinicians, alongside invaluable community and philanthropic support from programs like Doernbecher Freestyle, which has raised over $49 million since its inception in 2004.
“A founding principle of Doernbecher was that it would be a lifesaving resource for kids and their families, regardless of their ability to pay. And that principle has become a promise that still stands firm today, thanks in huge part to the continuous support we receive from the community,” said Dana Braner, M.D., FAAP, FCCM, physician-in-chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, professor and chair of pediatrics in the OHSU School of Medicine, and Credit Unions for Kids chair.
Kate Azizi, president of the OHSU Foundation, emphasized the importance of philanthropic support for the children’s hospital.
“Philanthropic support, like this generous partnership with Nike and the Freestyle program, allows OHSU Doernbecher to deliver exceptional care to children across Oregon and the region — now and for generations to come,” Azizi said. “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who continues to make this one-of-a-kind event possible.”
Over the past year, the patient-designers worked closely with NIKE, Inc., design team employees who volunteer their time and expertise so each patient-designer can create their very own sneaker. Each design represents the patient’s personal story, including nods to their health journeys, families and communities, and interests and passions.
These six brave, talented kids are now among the 134 patient-designers who have made the program possible, alongside hundreds of NIKE, Inc., employees who volunteer their time to make each patient’s design dreams come true.
To date, the program has produced more than 130 unique shoes, all designed by OHSU Doernbecher patients.
The full Doernbecher Freestyle 22 collection will be available on the SNKRS App and at select retailers this winter. Nike and its retail partners will donate 100% of the profits from sales of the collection to Doernbecher.
“Kids are our future,” Braner said, “and the Doernbecher Freestyle program proves each year that our future is in excellent hands.”